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There seems to be a meme among many of the cons and republicans these days that democrats are nowadays practically communists, whereas in Days of Yore they were actually OK or at least tolerable.
This meme is a myth. In fact, the truth is practically the opposite.
Democrats nowadays, Obama included, are mostly left-of-center establishment types. Maybe Bernie Sanders and a few others are more liberal. I suspect the cons and republicans think they're more liberal now than they were back then because the issues now are different than back then.
For example ...
Cons complain about illegal immigrants. This is an issue only in the past few decades. LBJ and Adlai Stevenson did not talk about them back in the 50s-60's because it simply wasn't a big issue (or an issue at all) back then. If it had been, those 2 likely would have had similar sympathy to their plight as democrats do in recent years.
Cons complain about gay rights. This is an issue only in the past few decades. LBJ and Adlai Stevenson did not talk about them back in the 50s-60's because it simply wasn't a big issue (or an issue at all) back then. If it had been, those 2 likely would have had similar sympathy to their plight as democrats do in recent years.
If you want some REAL liberals, you have to go back to the entire FDR through Jimmy Carter era (Carter was basically the end of the era, being more moderate). This is the era of not only FDR, LBJ and the Kennedy's (mostly Ted and Bobby), but also Adlai Stevenson, Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern (from South Dakota of all places!), Warren Magnuson, and many others.
These were the men who proposed, and got passed, major legislation on civil rights, environmental issues, all kinds of business regulations, were all strongly pro-union, and so on. For the most part, they were not averse to complaining about the excesses of capitalism.
In fact, I would add that the 30's-70's were the height of American liberalism in general. Democrats not only were more liberal back then than they are now, but they also controlled congress most of the time during that era.
There seems to be a meme among many of the cons and republicans these days that democrats are nowadays practically communists, whereas in Days of Yore they were actually OK or at least tolerable.
This meme is a myth. In fact, the truth is practically the opposite.
Democrats nowadays, Obama included, are mostly left-of-center establishment types. Maybe Bernie Sanders and a few others are more liberal. I suspect the cons and republicans think they're more liberal now than they were back then because the issues now are different than back then.
For example ...
Cons complain about illegal immigrants. This is an issue only in the past few decades. LBJ and Adlai Stevenson did not talk about them back in the 50s-60's because it simply wasn't a big issue (or an issue at all) back then. If it had been, those 2 likely would have had similar sympathy to their plight as democrats do in recent years.
Cons complain about gay rights. This is an issue only in the past few decades. LBJ and Adlai Stevenson did not talk about them back in the 50s-60's because it simply wasn't a big issue (or an issue at all) back then. If it had been, those 2 likely would have had similar sympathy to their plight as democrats do in recent years.
If you want some REAL liberals, you have to go back to the entire FDR through Jimmy Carter era (Carter was basically the end of the era, being more moderate). This is the era of not only FDR, LBJ and the Kennedy's (mostly Ted and Bobby), but also Adlai Stevenson, Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern (from South Dakota of all places!), Warren Magnuson, and many others.
These were the men who proposed, and got passed, major legislation on civil rights, environmental issues, all kinds of business regulations, were all strongly pro-union, and so on. For the most part, they were not averse to complaining about the excesses of capitalism.
In fact, I would add that the 30's-70's were the height of American liberalism in general. Democrats not only were more liberal back then than they are now, but they also controlled congress most of the time during that era.
dems were more CLASSIC LIBERAL back then... now they have moved so far to the left, you might as well call the fascio-socialists rather than liberals
modern American liberal politicians are nothing like classic liberalism
No. You have it backwards. Dems back then were classically progressive. They have moved more to the CENTER nowadays. They have become the establishment party (which is probably why so many people hate them).
Hubert Humphrey was a screaming liberal. So was Adlai Stevenson, Teddy and Bobby Kennedy, LBJ and a whole bunch of others. There are only a few like those these days. The rest are mostly left-of-center establishment liberals.
Democrats were socially more left then than today (the New Deal, the Great Society), but they were aggressively anti-communist and anti-fascist (WWII, Korea, McCarthyism, Vietnam).
There seems to be a meme among many of the cons and republicans these days that democrats are nowadays practically communists, whereas in Days of Yore they were actually OK or at least tolerable.
This meme is a myth. In fact, the truth is practically the opposite.
Democrats nowadays, Obama included, are mostly left-of-center establishment types. Maybe Bernie Sanders and a few others are more liberal. I suspect the cons and republicans think they're more liberal now than they were back then because the issues now are different than back then.
For example ...
Cons complain about illegal immigrants. This is an issue only in the past few decades. LBJ and Adlai Stevenson did not talk about them back in the 50s-60's because it simply wasn't a big issue (or an issue at all) back then. If it had been, those 2 likely would have had similar sympathy to their plight as democrats do in recent years.
Cons complain about gay rights. This is an issue only in the past few decades. LBJ and Adlai Stevenson did not talk about them back in the 50s-60's because it simply wasn't a big issue (or an issue at all) back then. If it had been, those 2 likely would have had similar sympathy to their plight as democrats do in recent years.
If you want some REAL liberals, you have to go back to the entire FDR through Jimmy Carter era (Carter was basically the end of the era, being more moderate). This is the era of not only FDR, LBJ and the Kennedy's (mostly Ted and Bobby), but also Adlai Stevenson, Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern (from South Dakota of all places!), Warren Magnuson, and many others.
These were the men who proposed, and got passed, major legislation on civil rights, environmental issues, all kinds of business regulations, were all strongly pro-union, and so on. For the most part, they were not averse to complaining about the excesses of capitalism.
Historically Liberals have yoked us with some of the worst schemes known to man. Its nothing to aspire to or long for.
For what its worth conservatives are no better.
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